Judge Not…You know the rest

We all judge. We all judge on first impressions. We all evaluate. People are evaluating my skills as a writer and a thinker right now. I’m guilty
of this and I’m sure I’ve put off many a person with my wild and crazy hair, jello like butt and stammering sarcastic words. Slightly insecure
with a withering tongue. Yup, that’s me.

I could care less about most people think of me. Maybe I intentionally make myself look like that to sort of filter through the human muck to find the gold nuggets of real humanity.

Yeah, I have to say I judge whether or not I want to get to know someone. I take the time to get a good assessment on their character, and if they are someone who lacks integrity… Back into the sea with the rest of the fish they go. If they like appearance over substance, they are most definitely gone. Maybe I’ll quit releasing them back into the wild, so to speak, and spend more time with them…

I tend to expect people to have the same strength that I do, the same level of compassion for others. I’m coming to think I may be assessing people too harshly, because we all have different things to offer up. We all have different kinds of strength and it is unfair for me to compare anyone else to my standards.
I will say the very meaning of judging can differ greatly–it can be used as a definition for evaluating to basically saying, “I’m better than you so
I can tell you you’re wrong, wrong, wrong. Nanner, nanner, nanner.”* I know many Christians who have that particular notion stuck in their head, and I personally believe that it goes against the grain of what God teaches.

People of any faith need to be careful to not fall into a “better than thou” trap that often develops. People need to remain accessible to
others, by not letting their religion give them a pompous attitude. People should lead by example what their faith calls them to do. My faith says: be kind, do not discriminate to anyone**, help everyone that you can–regardless of the difference of opinions.

It is our obligation to treat everyone with love. In the meantime, I’ll work on my habit to judge; it’s not really up to me to reject anyone that comes into my life. They are there for a reason.

*I’m more of the evaluating kind than a truly judgmental person.

**I will never abandon or make my gay friends feel like they are nothing.

We all judge – it’s part of human nature and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“Do Not Judge” – That is probably one of the biggest clichés that Christians have tangled themselves up in these days. It is probably one of the most popular quotes that Christians and non-Christians alike use today so they won’t be judged for their sin. Yet, it is the verse that is most consistently taken out of context.

Matthew 7:1 says, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” – Yes we all know that part. But when you keep reading, you find that Jesus says in verse 5 – “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” When we repent of our sin, take the log out of our own eye, then we can see clearly to judge.

Jesus repeatedly taught men to “judge rightly,” insisting they “judge with righteous judgment.”

It is not our place to judge the conditions of a man’s heart, but if you have the mind of Christ and understand God’s Holy character, we will be able to discern between judging what is right or wrong.